When stories are told about African poverty, race often seems to play a large part. Based in Senegal, Reuters photographer Finbarr O'Reilly (previously featured here for his work in DR Congo) traveled to South Africa earlier this year and visited one of a growing number of squatter camps populated mostly by Afrikaners - white South Africans - to document their stories and help show that, despite the fact that impoverished blacks in the region far outnumber whites, poverty is a human issue, not necessarily racial. O'Reilly: "While most white South Africans still enjoy lives of privilege and relative wealth, the number of poor whites has risen steadily over the past 15 years. Researchers now estimate some 450,000 whites, of a total white population of 4.5 million, live below the poverty line and 100,000 are struggling just to survive in places such Coronation Park, a former caravan camp currently home to more than 400 white squatters. Formerly comfortable Afrikaners recently forced to live on the fringes of society see themselves as victims of 'reverse-apartheid' that they say puts them at an even greater disadvantage than the millions of poor black South Africans." (27 photos total)

Not to worry. Give half a chance, black South Africans will bring to that country the same high level of prosperity and civility their black brothers have throughout all the rest of the Dark Continent.

I recently spent about three hours sitting next to a South African guy in a restaurant. He was a professional person, not “white trash.” He had not returned to South Africa in 8 years. He said it is now extremely dangerous for a white person to visit South Africa. After reflecting for a while, he finally mentioned that Durban might be ok, but Jo-Burg, definitely not. Cape Town, no, no, no.

Racism? Yes. But not whites against blacks, the reverse. And not with words only; with clubs, knives and guns.

As bad as South Africa is now, Zimbabwe is much, much worse for all the same reasons.

10
posted on 07/09/2010 8:26:20 PM PDT
by Rembrandt
(.. AND the donkey you rode in on.)

I visited South Africa last year. I walked around the area my hotel was in in both Johanesberg and Cape Town and didn’t have any problems. I went to the Mandela mall in Jo’berg and some other mall in Cape Town. We hired a guide to drive us around Jo’berg and so Mandela’s house in Soweto. Soweto’s not so bad. I grew up in Detroit, it is much much worse. So are a dozen other inner city ghettos in the USA like Newark, Trenton, Oakland flats, parts of LA, etc.

We had lunch in the Soweto mall. Everyone was nice, no rude comments or stares.

I was traveling for business, so stayed in first class hotels, and followed the advice of the desk men before venturing out. I was told in Jo’berg: be back by dark or take a taxi.

A close friend went for the world cup, was there for 13 days with his kids and had a great time. Caution, planning and hiring reliable guides for the more adventurous parts of the trip and I think it’s safe enough.

Living there might be a whole different experience. People who go to Detroit and only see the airport, the suburbs and perhaps the RenCen might think it’s safe too.

12
posted on 07/09/2010 9:57:06 PM PDT
by Jack Black
( Whatever is left of American patriotism is now identical with counter-revolution.)

Formerly comfortable Afrikaners recently forced to live on the fringes of society see themselves as victims of 'reverse-apartheid' that they say puts them at an even greater disadvantage than the millions of poor black South Africans."

No. high taxes. Aside from tax on businesses, there are about 5 million of us who pay tax on income. This is about 10% of the population - note that I didn’t say citizens, I said population - people flood across our previously secured borders from north of us with little or no hindrance. The numbers increase daily!

Once upon a time (1940’s, 1950’s I think, born in 1956 so I know this merely as history), although there was job reservation for Afrikaners in Government administration positions, many were not so fortunate. Many went into “trades” like plumbers, electricians, boilermakers, sheetmetal workers, etc - the sorts of jobs where one could earn some sort of very basic salary while doing an apprenticeship, ie learning on the job and doing trade tests at various levels. In my working experience in the Cape Town area even in the 1980’s I came across non-white people who had also gone this route. Some battled to pass the tests based on previous poor education history (just not used to examination situations and many tried over and over again), but were recognised for their skills acquired during apprenticeships, and earned accordingly.

Since 1994 and the new Government, these apprenticeship programs have been either discontinued or “dumbed down” with the result that there is now a major shortage. Many of those pictured in the article could have done one of the original apprenticeships and been highly skilled in their chosen area, whether attached to an employer, or, even better, self-employed. Nowadays they don’t even have that chance.

Now, we are told that one MUST have, preferably, a post-graduate degree to enter the job market. This has resulted in even those who can afford such an education tending to go for the “soft” social sciences” like Human Resources (now, there we have a glut)- result lots of women and feminised men. The majority cannot afford it and are subsidised by a low percentage of tax payers.

My plumber is unusual in that he is white guy in his late 20’s. His Dad is a retired electrician (married and had kids later in life) and wanted his sons (the other one also an electrician) to be left with a viable business when he retires or dies. It’s paid off. The plumber gets lots of big jobs, but is also available when I get home from work, if I need a job done. Sometimes I have to wait if it’s not an emergency, but I don’t have a problem with that - at least I don’t have to take time off work. Both have arrived at about 7:00 pm and left about 9:00pm when I had a geyser problem a couple of years ago - normal rates, not after-hours rate. He is never going to be short of work!

This is an eaxmple of what those depicted in the article could have been doing given the (now non-existant) opportunites. Although I am writing from a South African context, I suspect that applies to some extent everywhere in the world.

I’ve seen those “camps” ... and, trust me, we have NO POVERTY in the USA when you compare to those camps. But many of them are refugees from Zimbabwe. These people are being forced out of their own country and take up, literally, hillsides around big cities in S. Africa. So its not all a black/white thing, its another THUG in charge of a government that, because of him, doesn’t work. Promises to the poor caused everybody to be poor ... the ultimate distribution of wealth (From the people to Robert Mugabe’s bank account!).

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